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Real conversations about following Jesus when life doesn't slow down — from a pastor who's still figuring it out too.
So what if the greatest miracle God wants to do through your prayer isn't changing their circumstances, it's changing you while you wait? So maybe you're like us and there you found yourself in a time where you have prayed for months or weeks or days, or maybe it was a long time. You prayed for years, and it seemed like God was silent and God just wasn't going to answer or for whatever reason, nothing seemed to change. That's what today's episode of the God Made Podcast is all about. You know, we like to get together and do these podcasts every week because we gotta live this faith out.
Greg:Our faith isn't just a Sunday kind of thing because we know that what what we do on Sundays doesn't change everything, but God changes us every single day. And so many times we're asking God for certain things in our prayer life. We ask and we ask and we ask, and it seems like he's never gonna answer the prayer. So if you ever found yourself there, that's what this is all about. So I guess the the open the question here today, what is it that sometimes make people stop praying?
Greg:What do you think, Kristi?
Kristi:Oh, I think we just give up. It's like God's not listening. I'm gonna stop wasting my time.
Greg:Yeah. We just start while I speak for myself, I start to feel just dry. Like, God, you're not quenching this thirst within me, and I'm just tired. And I just give up, just quit because I don't think God wants to answer this prayer for whatever reason it may be. But it's not like a again, speaking for myself and and I think for most people, it's not like a I quit all at once kind of thing.
Kristi:Right.
Greg:It's a gradual Sloper. He didn't answer. So today, my prayer is gonna be a little shorter. Tomorrow my prayer is not even going to happen. Two days later, three days later, end up a week down the road and you're like, wow, I've not really prayed this week.
Greg:A month down the road, I barely prayed.
Kristi:Yeah.
Greg:And then before you know it, you're not having any sort of conversations with God. Right. And at that point, you talk about getting getting spiritually dry. That is in the spiritual desert right there when you're not having any conversations with God. So what are what are the hardest prayers that you think it is to keep praying and keep asking God for when he seems like you don't wanna answer it?
Kristi:Like specific things?
Greg:Yeah. If you if you have any specific things or types of things, I I'll just throw one out there because we we have done this, praying for healing for a loved one. Mhmm. And it doesn't happen. It's hard to keep praying when you see your loved one suffering.
Kristi:Right. And declining and declining it? Yeah. Yeah. I don't know, for me personally, I think it's easier for me to give up if the prayer is about me, not someone else, because say it's for salvation for somebody.
Kristi:Yeah. Or like a prodigal child I type think sometimes we love others
Greg:That's true.
Kristi:More than we love our self, hopefully we do. But but, you know, just you don't wanna give up on them, but you can give up on yourself easier, or at least my personal experience.
Greg:So we've both been there, and we've waited and waited and waited. Why is it sometimes harder to wait than for God to just make it obvious the answer's no?
Kristi:Harder to wait because you don't know what the answer's gonna be. And I have, I've said this before on the podcast that it's not so much having to keep praying, it's like, I'm afraid that whatever he's gonna answer is not what I want, and so I think just a blunt no would be easier than than waiting and wondering. Yeah. I think What's he gonna what's he gonna
Greg:That is. I think it could also be we we talked about this some already. You just start it's not that you're getting the no answer, it's like you're getting nothing.
Kristi:Yeah.
Greg:And it's like, okay, maybe this just doesn't work and he doesn't care.
Kristi:This isn't on his radar. He's he's yeah. I know. But he he knows each of us so intimately, and we don't even realize how well he does. And I just if you're his child, you're he's not ignoring me.
Kristi:No.
Greg:You you read scripture, and you you see how much Jesus even at that time, of course, they were dealing with the same stuff, but he knew us. He knew what his people were going to deal with. Mhmm. So he actually he tells a story about people who are tempted to quit praying.
Kristi:Mhmm.
Greg:And he shares that story. So as we lead up to that, how do we usually decide if a prayer is working or not? Is it just an explicit answer, or is it you can kinda feel a change? What do you think it is? How do you decide if prayer if God's even listening?
Kristi:I I think you see some sort of some results. It might not be totally resolved, but you see changes. You see changes or something, oh, you know, it's kinda leading this way. I mean, it just depends on situation.
Greg:So it's not like a flashing neon sign that says, yes. This is working. Yes. This is working.
Kristi:God God's not usually as obvious as would like him to be. Yeah.
Greg:So you you think about you ever realized later that God was working in you before he worked around you and what was going on? Or seen him working behind the scenes when at the moment you didn't see it. I I look back to when I was first going into vocational ministry, and you remember this, I'm sure. I know you do. When I was actually offered a job at another church, and I thought God was answering the prayer.
Kristi:Opening the door.
Greg:Opening the door. Now that being said, for those who don't know, I was in video production before I got into full time ministry, and the the ministry job that opened up was working in video production, doing that for a a large mega church in East Tennessee. And I was like, that is amazing. God's taken my skills, and he's taken my desire to be in ministry, and he's merged them together. And I was so so ready to go and answer that call.
Greg:And they offered me the job, and I was just like, this is it. Literally within twenty four hours, I got another call, and they rescinded the job offer without any explanation. Yeah. Have a hunch of why I know they rescinded the job offer. We won't get into that, but I know who got the job in the long run, and I I kinda know the circumstances there.
Greg:So I think I know why they rescinded the job offer, and it really had nothing to do with me personally. But at that point, I was like, what in the world is going on, God?
Kristi:Yeah.
Greg:When in reality, he was working all through behind the scenes preparing me to step into a different ministry role, to actually be in a pastoral role rather than a behind the scenes guy.
Kristi:And I remember you know, talking about using the skills that you had. You I mean, you were like, this is perfect. This is perfect. Mhmm. Because anyone who knows you knows that you you don't have the personality to or didn't to be Still don't.
Kristi:To be a fester. I mean so it just may Yeah.
Greg:Standing in front of people to this day terrifies me. I fake it every week.
Kristi:No. You
Greg:I do. I'm but I don't fake what I'm doing. I fake faking it's maybe the wrong word, but I cover the the fear every week. Because every time I walk up there and preach a sermon, even sitting down to do this podcast, this isn't as fearful because I can always delete and redo it. But when I'm up there preaching, before I go up not once I'm up there, I kinda feel like God takes over.
Greg:But before I go up there, there's always knots in my stomach. And you'll see me flipping through my notes, like, how am I gonna start this? Am I gonna, no, I don't wanna say that. You've probably sent me to make notes in my notebook before I even go up there.
Kristi:And had you not admitted that and me just knowing that anyway, that blows my mind because it doesn't seem that way whatsoever. The fear is not obvious at all.
Greg:Well, that's why they say fake it till you make it. Right?
Kristi:I mean, but it was Still working on that. God was using that, And and knowing about that job, he was also protecting you because that job ended up being at a place that you did not want
Greg:to work. That's true. I found out more about that church, and, it's not where I needed to be. So what is that seeing God work through that? How what do you what do you think that teaches us about God's wisdom?
Kristi:He is wise and I am not. Yeah. So what? And he is God and I am not. And he he knows better.
Kristi:He knows what's best for us.
Greg:He does.
Kristi:And I don't know why. We keep trying to fix it.
Greg:Well, here's kind of the key thought, as we jump into some application here. Prayer isn't simply where God changes circumstances, it's where he shapes your heart.
Kristi:Mhmm. And sometimes what you're praying for will change.
Greg:That's true. Your desires change because God changes your heart. Alright. Let's read this story in out of Luke chapter 18 beginning in verse one. One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.
Greg:There was a judge in a certain city, he said, who neither feared God nor cared about people. A widow of that city came to him repeatedly saying, give me justice in this dispute with my enemy. The judge ignored her for a while, but finally he said to himself, I don't fear God or care about people, but this woman is driving me crazy. That's kinda funny.
Kristi:It is.
Greg:I'm going to I'm going to see that she gets justice because she is wearing me out with her constant request. Then the Lord said, learn a lesson from this unjust judge. Even he rendered a just decision in the end. So don't you think God will surely give justice to his chosen people who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?
Greg:I tell you, he will grant justice to them quickly. But when the son of man returns, how many he will find on the earth who have faith. Luke starts this out as he's telling us retelling this story that Jesus told me. He tells us exactly why Jesus told the parable, and it's this. They should always pray and never give up.
Greg:Mhmm. Why did Jesus start there?
Kristi:Well, a lot of people don't listen to the end of the story.
Greg:Knew we were gonna give up. That's why he started there.
Kristi:Yeah. He knew that. And so he was like it was like a a hook there at the beginning to listen to this.
Greg:So, yeah, he he just kinda nails everybody at that point. He's like, stop giving up. Just keep praying. Keep coming to me. It may take a long time, but stop giving up.
Greg:Right. So why did the widow in this story, it's going to this this judge, why does she keep going back?
Kristi:Well, she was passionate about whatever it was.
Greg:She knew that what she was going to the judge for mattered. Yeah. I mean, at that point, she was seeking justice. She knew she was being wronged, and it was important. Yeah.
Greg:And it mattered that justice would be served. Yeah. So what did she do?
Kristi:She just kept showing up.
Greg:Yeah. She refused to give up.
Kristi:Mhmm. Like a dog with a bone.
Greg:Like a dog with a bone. That's East Tennessee for you right there.
Kristi:Hey. I didn't say
Greg:waller. Waller. Yeah. She didn't know what the answer was gonna be or when it was gonna come, but she always showed up.
Kristi:Mhmm.
Greg:How often does our prayer life reflect that?
Kristi:Yeah. We give up even though Jesus told us not to. Yeah. We just lose hope, lose faith, just figure he's not listening and go on.
Greg:So the way I mean, you could easily read that story and hear, well, I just keep asking for God, asking, asking, asking, asking, he's gonna give me what I want. So what's the difference in persisting with God in prayer and pressuring God to buckle to your demands?
Kristi:Well, you you can't make him buckle.
Greg:You
Kristi:can't. Persistence, it's and it's not really I don't think. It's not really you keep asking and asking and asking, it shows, I mean, you're still talking to him, but he's working out whatever the answer's gonna be. It's sometimes it can't be instant, things have to happen and work out in the circumstances for whatever the answer is. You have to and it just grows your trust and everything, and that persistence, Like, she she just got she reminds me of our daughter, which she usually
Greg:She is a little persistent. She's a good example
Kristi:of not give up. So take the irritation part of that out and apply that to our prayer life. Yeah. Yeah. I think
Greg:I do think there are people, and I think there are churches that teach this, and it's false theology that if you just keep keep up, God is gonna give you what you ask for. But I think when when scripture says God is gonna answer the prayer, he's gonna give you what you ask for, he's gonna give you the answer, but it doesn't mean you're it's gonna be answered the way you want it be answered. He single prayer we talk about, every prayer is answered. Whether it's yes, no, or maybe later, it's always answered, but it's not always the answer you want. When you're persistent in prayer, it's not pressuring God, it's it's being faithful.
Greg:It kinda reminds us, if you do it persistently daily, it reminds you, I'm depending on him to answer this prayer. It's nothing that I can do on my own.
Kristi:Right. You're going to the only one who can do anything, and you've just gotta be okay with whatever his response is whenever it comes because he knows the best.
Greg:Yeah. So what does it change within us? If we are persistent in our prayer
Kristi:Mhmm.
Greg:How does that change us?
Kristi:Gives us patience.
Greg:I don't like that one.
Kristi:Okay. It shows our dependence on him.
Greg:Dependence and pay. It does give us patience.
Kristi:Yeah. Trust makes us trust him
Greg:Yeah. And it humbles us because when we're honest and we can't do it on our own, then you gotta be pretty humble to say, I need
Kristi:you. Mhmm.
Greg:And whether it's God or anybody, you gotta be humble to say to that, I need you. Right. So it it helps to humble us. But sometimes the biggest answer to prayer isn't what you asked for. It's how he changes you in the process, the person you are becoming.
Greg:That's what I found in in that whole going into ministry thing, that God was changing me in the process. You'll remember, little side story, when I realized God was calling me into middle school or into ministry, specifically youth ministry, if you remember my first thing was awesome, as long as it's not middle school students. And what did he do? Middle school pastor. Yep.
Greg:Yeah. So there you go. God has a way of doing things and changing you. And then I became a high school pastor later, and I realized, man, I love middle school ministry. I love the high school ministry too.
Greg:Middle school ministry at that point, it was just I don't know. It's just different. I could I could talk forever about how I I loved middle school ministry and yet do not miss it at all.
Kristi:Yeah. And he also called you into youth ministry, and I was gonna help you, and I didn't
Greg:like Yeah. You were afraid of teenagers.
Kristi:I was afraid of teenagers and did not like them at the time.
Greg:Yep. Yep.
Kristi:And he changed that. He changed me.
Greg:Yeah. So if we were gonna say a sentence that we hope everyone takes away from this today, I think it's this. Prayer isn't about convincing God to care. It's about continuing to trust the God who already does.
Kristi:Right.
Greg:So God's delays are not evidence of God's absence. We talked about that in the last episode. Just because he's silent doesn't mean he's absent. Means he's doing something in you and the whole process of it all. He he loves you no matter what, and his timing doesn't separate him from that love.
Greg:So I hope that people remember that and and really take that to heart. We wanna put some teeth to this, though. So a practical thing that everyone can do this week. We have on here on our notes. I think this is a pretty good one.
Greg:Start a don't give up prayer list. Make a note of two or three things that you really godly things that you really desire. Wanna be clear. Godly things that you really desire and pray those every single day this week. Not to persuade God.
Kristi:Mhmm.
Greg:The whole point is trying to align your your desires with his desires. So ask him, God, pray it the way that Jesus prayed in the garden. We've mentioned this several times over the last few episodes. Pray in the way Jesus prayed in the garden. God, this is what I want.
Greg:But if it's not your will, let your will be done. And help me to be okay with that. That's a big one. Help me to be okay with that. But pray it every day.
Greg:God, I'm asking you for this and this and this. And if it's not true will, help me to be okay with that.
Kristi:Yeah. And help me change to I mean, being okay with that is aligning to God's will, but help your desires change to match his, and it'll be a lot easier to be okay with that.
Greg:And then as you pray that, every time you get to the end of your prayer, do it with this. Just like David did in Psalm 13, we talked about it last in the last episode. And it's basically this, Lord, no matter what your answer is, I trust you.
Kristi:Mhmm.
Greg:So try that this week. Three things two or three things, persistently pray for them, ask God to help you to be okay with whatever the answer is, and whatever that answer is, I trust you.
Kristi:Alright.
Greg:Alright. So I think about how this has played out for me recently. For those who who know, we're going through a whole trying to build a building thing at our church, and it doesn't seem to be going the way we hope it would go. We're still getting there. It's just a whole lot slower than we anticipated or hoped for.
Greg:And and, honestly, he he kinda may be changing a little bit of the vision behind it. Nothing that we're ready to share publicly yet, but I'm having to learn this prayer. You know, God, in your time, I still believe this is what you want us to do, and help me to be okay with however you answer this prayer even if it's not looks nothing like the big drawing we have on the wall at the church. And the vision ends up being quite different than what we initially planned. And actually a lot bigger an impact than what we initially planned.
Greg:It's hard, you know, because we've presented this to the church and I believe that's where God's leading us. But I think I was clear when I laid that out to the church. This God's leading us to do this, but maybe not in this way. I hope I was clear because God is working behind the scenes and changing some things as we go through this. So I just say that so that everyone knows that even as the pastor and the guy sitting here on you with this podcast, I deal with the same stuff.
Greg:I don't know when God's gonna answer the prayers I'm praying. And maybe a church building doesn't seem like it's relevant, but it is to me. That's something I'm living with every single day. And I'm sure people listening to this are are living with similar stuff. Maybe they're not trying to build a church building, but they're trying to build a home or buy a home or get a job or fix a marriage.
Greg:I don't know what it is. But God's working behind the scenes, and he's going to answer the prayer, maybe not the way that you hoped. Yeah. One of the greatest lies we believe. You were getting ready to say something.
Kristi:I was just gonna say, don't give up.
Greg:I didn't mean one of the greatest lies we believe was you were getting ready to say something. But, anyways, one of the greatest lies we believe is that an unanswered prayer is a wasted prayer. Right. And that's just not true. An unanswered prayer.
Kristi:There aren't.
Greg:They're all answered. But one that feels unanswered, God is always doing something in you through the whole process. So don't judge God's faithfulness by how quick he answers your prayer. Judge it by his character and his character never changes. His promises always hold true.
Greg:So this week, dig into those prayers. One, two, or three things that you wanna persistently pray for every day. Ask God for it. Ask him to help you be okay with whatever the answer is. And then say, Lord, even if it's not what I want, I trust you.
Kristi:Right. And we haven't talked a whole lot about it, but I mean, listing the things you're thankful for is doing that, but look back at the past at all of the things that he has, you see the answer now, you see the outcome, and regardless if it's the way you wanted it or not Yep. He's still there, and he's still working.
Greg:Yeah. So don't give up praying. Make sure you are spending time with the Lord every single day, even when it feels like he's silent. So that's the God Made Podcast for this week. I hope, God has spoken to you through this, helped you through whatever you're dealing with.
Greg:And if this has helped you at all, we ask you please like this video, subscribe to this channel, whether it's on YouTube or on whatever podcast platform you use, and share it with somebody who you need needs help or or would just get something out of this. Share it with somebody this week. Help us get the word out about the God Made Podcast. It makes more impact than you possibly know how it helps us to reach more people. Just those few things.
Greg:Like, share, and, subscribe to the podcast. So that's it for this week. We will be back with you next week for the next two episodes, two a week now, of the God Made Podcast. Hope you have a great week.